Murphy’s ‘Tower Heist’ tries to steal box-office win
“Tower Heist,” an Eddie Murphy and Ben Stiller comic caper, is poised to run away with the box-office crown this weekend.
Distributor Universal Pictures projects U.S. and Canadian ticket sales in the neighborhood of $25 million to $30 million for the movie about Manhattan high-rise residents who seek to recoup losses from a Wall Street swindler. That should beat the other big new release, the third installment from goofy, pot-smoking duo Harold & Kumar. “A Very Harold & Kumar 3D Christmas” is expected to ring up $15 million to $18 million at domestic theaters, according to distributor Warner Bros.
The weekend also will determine if DreamWorks Animation’s two-week debut strategy pays off for “Shrek” spinoff “Puss in Boots.” The cat’s chart-topping $34 million in domestic sales last weekend failed to impress investors, who sent the company’s shares down nearly 8 percent on Monday. The studio planned a big push for the movie’s second weekend, given that Halloween activities occupied many families last weekend.
Photo Credit: Universal Pictures